Tharoor seeks to establish his Malayali credentials

Hitting the campaign trail, former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor, Congress candidate for Thiruvanathapuram Lok Sabha seat, made his debut in the murky world of electoral politics with attempts to establish his Malayali credentials.
  
Tharoor, who was born in London to Malayali parents hailing from a village in Kerala's Palaakad, surprised many in the media here at a meeting by speaking in good Malayalam.
  
Participating in the "anghathattu" (battle field) programme organised by  Malayalam daily Kerala Kaumudi here on Saturday, he said there was no truth in the allegations that he cannot speak Malayalam. He said he was conversant enough to communicate with people in their language and understand their problems and aspirations.
   
Tharoor said what was more important as a Member of Parliament was to raise the problems of the constituency and find solutions,for which Hindi and English were more useful.   

Rejecting the impression sought to be created by certain quarters that he was a total stranger to Kerala, Tharoor said he knew Kerala quite well and was proud of its achievements in areas like social development, woman empowerment and social emancipation of the depressed classes.
   
An author with 11 books, he said many of his novels and short stories had the "Kerala settings"." Though I have gone out and worked in the UN, now I am back home. I have taken a house here two years back and am staying with my mother", he said.

Tharoor said his aim was to make Thiruvananthapuram a "centre of excellence" in many fields and find a place for Kerala on the international map.
  
India was able to overcome the global economic crisis only because of the policies followed by the Congress-led UPA government, he said.
  
The Rural Employment Guarantee scheme also helped the common people. There should be a 'strong presence of Thiruvananthapuram' in Parliament for a link between state and the Centre to ensure people's rights.
   
Pitted against Tharoor are LDF's Ramachandran Nair (CPI), PK Krishnadas (BJP) and BSP's A Neelalohithadasan Nadar. The rival candidates mostly highlighted the political perspectives of their parties.
   
Ramachandran Nair said UPA and NDA are 'two sides of the same coin' while Krishnadas said a strong government at the Centre could be formed only by the NDA.